Function:
- Improve cognitive function
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197458004801829?via%3Dihub - Protection against skin damage from sunlight
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/96/5/1179S/4577133 - Reduce lung cancer risk
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2017.00023/full - Reduce macular degeneration disease risk
https://www.nei.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/age-related-eye-disease-study-2-areds2/public-what-areds-means-you - Has anti-oxidant effect
- Help prevent cancer
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet
Overdose: more than 10 mg/ day
https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/carotenoids/beta-carotene/safety.html
Excess: stored in the fat tissues of the body and outermost layer of the epidermis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-Carotene
Solubility: fat soluble and water insoluble
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000286
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-Carotene
Side effects of excessive beta-carotene supplementation:
- Lung cancer risk in heavy smokers
- Yellow discoloration of the skin
- Increase death risk when consumed with high vitamin E doses
https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/carotenoids/beta-carotene/safety.html - Heart disease risk in heavy smokers
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000286 - Prostate cancer risk when consumed with other multivitamins
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-999/beta-carotene - Joint pain
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000286
Recommended daily intake= 500 mcg
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=19&contentid=BetaCarotene
- Spices, paprika
Contain: 27680 mcg - Grape leaves, raw
Contain: 16193 mcg - Kale, raw
Contain: 9226 mcg - Sweet potato, raw, unprepared [Includes USDA commodity food A230, Sweet potato]
Contain: 8509 mcg - Carrots, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A099]
Contain: 8285 mcg - Turnip greens, raw
Contain: 6952 mcg - Spinach, raw
Contain: 5626 mcg - Parsley, raw
Contain: 5054 mcg - Pumpkin, raw
Contain: 3100 mcg - Peppers, sweet, red, raw
Contain: 1624 mcg
Deficiency symptoms
- eye and skin problems
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30091146 - Deficiency in vitamin A because Beta carotenes are source of vitamin A
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17665093 - reduces lipid storage capacity
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20573961 - reduces immunity because it has antioxidant effect
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24477245 - Increase the inflammation rate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28704820
Increase risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24568502